what i miss…

Right now, as I lie in a bed that is not my own in a family friend’s basement in Chicago, I can’t help but feel a great sense of nostalgia, thinking about the show I went to exactly one year ago that forever changed my feelings about music; Anthony Green, Good Old War, and Person L at Starlight Ballroom in Philadelphia.

Not only was I turned on to Person L and Good Old War (two of my favorite bands now), but I was exposed to a completely different kind of show from all the ones I had previously been to.

Feet away from me, I saw Anthony Green standing backstage, dancing like a child and singing along to Person L. He was air drumming and stamping his feet and laughing; I couldn’t help but watch and smile. That’s when I realized he was just like me; a lover of music, cheering for a band that really knew how to impress a crowd. And it was fine to walk right past the security guard and introduce myself; it was fine to ask questions. The most rewarding part of all was the reciprocation of question asking, and the fact that he listened when I answered him. He was in no hurry to end the conversation, looked me in the eye the entire time, and most of all, cared. I had never really had that experience while talking to a band member before, and it mattered so much to me since he was the musician I looked up to most.

On stage, he talked about nightmares he had at night and how nervous he had been for the tour, but how comfortable he felt right then, talking to all of us. It was as if we all were his friends, and he even said so at one point. It was the first time at a show that I was able to truly connect with the person behind the microphone.

We’re all the same.